Duke Basketball: Chris Mack is getting the most of Louisville in first season

The Duke Basketball team has yet another daunting task in front of them against the Louisville Cardinals on Tuesday night.

The No. 2 Duke Blue Devils are back on the road on Tuesday night against the No. 16 Louisville Cardinals and ahead of the big time match up from Kentucky, the Ball Durham team got a chance to talk with the Louisville FanSided site, Big Red Louie, for exclusive content on Tuesday’s showdown.

Q: Louisville has been one of the surprise teams in the ACC this season. What has made the Cardinals so successful this year?

A: Definitely the emergence of Christen Cunningham. We all knew what Jordan Nwora was capable of, and Dwayne Sutton continues to improve every game. However, Cunningham brings so much more to the table than anyone expected. He is leading the ACC in assists in conference games, and he is one of Louisville’s most versatile scorers. When the Cards need a bucket, he can get to the basket or facilitate. It’s hard to imagine Louisville above .500 in conference without him.

Q: Last year was a season to forget in many ways for Louisville, but other than stability in the program in terms of the coaching staff, what has been the biggest improvement from last year to this year?

A: Just overall team culture and confidence. Chris Mack is a master motivator, and he has been able to turn a group that was unable to finish games a year ago into a squad that has been able to perform in the biggest moments more often than not. There was a huge change from Rick Pitino’s drill sergeant, defense first culture to Mack’s offensively-minded ways. That has made way for a team that plays through its mistakes and has become a force to be reckoned with even with a depleted roster.

More from Ball Durham

Q: In terms of scoring and in minutes per game, V.J. King has taken a significant step since last season. What has gone wrong for the junior this season?

A: I honestly wish we knew. That’s the tough part. We refer to Big Red Louie as a no-VJ slander zone. He has been a model player for Louisville. He came here as a McDonald’s All-American and his minutes were limited as a freshman. He could have chosen to go elsewhere under David Padgett last year, and again when Chris Mack took over. However, he remained committed to the program and was elected team captain. Every fan is rooting for him so hard. It just seems to be a mental block for him.

On defense, King holds his own, but he has become an offensive liability. You can see the lack of confidence in every move he makes. We know there’s a one-time All-American caliber player in there somewhere, and if I had to bet I’d say he has a break out game before the season is said and done. He’s too awesome of a human being and too great of an athlete not to turn it around.

Q: Other than the games against Kentucky and North Carolina, Louisville has been competitive in every game this season, what makes it so hard to play against Louisville?

A: Louisville, to the surprise of most, has a lot of the pieces it takes to have a championship caliber team. They have veteran guard play, two dynamic forwards, two great rebounding centers who can stretch the floor, and an experienced coaching staff.

The Cards are ranked 15th in KenPom‘s adjusted offensive efficiency, and 28th in defensive efficiency. They are above average behind the arc, the best in the ACC from the free throw line, and play well on the road. All of that adds up to a team that is consistently a tough out.

Q: Who is someone on Louisville that Duke fans might not have heard of that could make an impact on Tuesday night?

A: Ryan McMahon. The redshirt junior literally got a shot because Dick Vitale told Rick Pitino he had to take this kid (they are both from Sarasota, Florida). McMahon is streaky from deep, but if he sees one or two shots go in, there is not a better three point shooter in the country. He scored 24 in win against Michigan State earlier this year, hit a dagger to put away Seton Hall, scored 12 straight to blow open the Virginia Tech game a week ago, and scored 9 straight to go up 10 on Florida State in Louisville’s last game.

Mack uses McMahon as a situational weapon off of the bench to free up the rest of the offense. If Duke is a wise, they will keep Louisville out of the lane and try to force the Cards to shoot over top of their length. If and when that happens, Mack might call on McMahon to try and counter.

The Duke Blue Devils and the Louisville Cardinals will face off from the KFC Yum! Center on Tuesday night at 9:00 pm ET and the game will be televised on ESPN.

Home/Duke Basketball